Just the Facts, Ma'am: A first quarter of runs gave way to a second half surge from New Mexico State, as the Aggies won the consolation game of the Fordham Holiday Classic 70-51 over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. Brooke Salas led all scorers with 18 points, adding five rebounds. Brittany Mbamalu was the only scorer in double figures for the Islanders, with 11.
For sneaking, pressing, rebounding, blue jackets, back pain, and sandwiches, join your intrepid blogger after the jump.
Hello, once again! Day 2 of playing hooky sends your intrepid blogger up to Fordham for the second day of their holiday tournament. The undercard features Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and New Mexico State; since I've been hearing a lot about the Aggies from a Board Junkie.
There is an absolutely fascinating conversation about literature and publishing going on around me. I knew I made the right choice not backtracking to the J to the F to the D. (If you're an editor with interestingly colored hair and a girl with a laptop was shamelessly eavesdropping on your conversation on the E train, please drop a comment. It's a million to one chance, but it just might work.)
I really like Corpus Christi's colors. Very vibrant.
Why is my signal cutting out? :(
The perils of the undercard game: there are literally fourteen people in the stands, including me. It's filled up a bit since then.
At halftime, New Mexico State is up 30-26. Aggies got out to a 16-6 lead, on the strength of some tenacious pressure in the backcourt, before coughing up a 14-0 run. It's been tight ever since. Both teams seem fond of the three. Islanders are rebounding way better. Neither team can really finish at the rim, which has been frustrating as a basketball fan. Tamera William and Brooke Salas each have 7 to lead NMSU, Salas's last basket coming on a third-chance putback right before the buzzer. Brittany Mbamalu has 9 on a trio of treys to lead TAMU-CC.
If you go to a Fordham game, the Subway across the street is staffed by lovely, understanding people, and they deserve patronage and tips.
That game lasted far longer than it should have. Too many people were committing unnecessary fouls well after the outcome was no longer in doubt. No reason to foul a three-point shooter- well, EVER, but certainly not when the deficit is about 15 points and the time remaining is under two minutes.
The Islanders used a lot of subs in short stints, and seemed to do a lot of direct subs, especially at point guard (as opposed to rotation). This would be a lot easier with stats, but they're using Fordham's live stats, and obviously those are being re-set for the Fordham game. And it always takes a while for box scores to go up, especially for neutral-site games. Good thing I always roll my own.
I get this strange feeling that Shelby Miskell might be TAMU-CC's Nikki Jo- the maverick colt who needs to be... persuaded to get along with the coach. She was committing a lot of stupid mistakes late in the game, and getting reprimanded for them. Sure has a pretty shot, though. Mykayla Flores reminds me of a dwarf, but not the show-on-TLC kind, the kind that opens up cans of whoop-ass with axes in sword-and-sorcery fantasy (only less bearded). This is a terrible description. She's short, she's solid, and she's tough. She was relentless on defense and had a high-arcing shot on offense. She took a lot of contact and dished out a lot of contact. Shola Adebayo was a scorer in the first half, putting up threes, but in the second half, she was doing more on defense, or at least trying to do more on defense. She really racked up the fouls early in the fourth quarter.
Camesha Davis was very active on the glass and defensively- she had a beautiful block on Moriah Mack. Maddisen Turner and her mini-pigtails stood tall down low. She had a play that was almost a wonderful defensive play, but she was just in the circle, and it went from drawing a charge to an and-1 for Brooke Salas. Uri Jolivette saw her time in the second half, and was somewhat intimidating with her facemask.
Gee Lawler played her minutes in short spurts, getting spelled pretty often (usually by Turner). For a big, she's awfully tentative- I feel like she could have gone up more often and with more force. Kre'Ana Henry lists as a center, and rebounds like a center, but most of her shots were well away from the basket.
Jennifer Ramirez ran point, and while she has the leadership you need from a point guard, she didn't show the composure and quick decision-making under pressure that separates the good from the rest of the pack. New Mexico State brought a lot of pressure, and she couldn't handle the traps and the press. Kassie Jones got aggressive defensively and always seemed to be in the middle of the play. Brittany Mbamalu set up outside a lot and picked up long-range rebounds. There was a sequence where she almost lost the ball, but kept her dribble even as she went to the floor.
I am crazy in love with NMSU's full-court press. I love that kind of pressure, and they execute it really well.
Abby Scott reminds me of someone, and I can't put my finger on whom. Whoever she reminds me of, she has a really light, pretty, three-point shot. She tries on defense, too, but not as effectively. Emily Hardin saw her first time in the second half, and lit up from beyond the arc. She gambled well defensively. Her teammates really seemed to be encouraging her. Zaire Williams played point for stretches of the second half. She didn't look as comfortable doing it as any of the other options.
Jasmine Cooper got time near the end of the game and got a nifty block- but also got a block call against her. Brandee Walton also saw her time near the end of the game. Tyler Ellis was strong, and had good chemistry with Tamera William. I feel like she could have done more with her build inside. Moriah Mack came up with big plays in the second half.
Sasha Weber's tough. She got herself in trouble in the third quarter with three fairly quick fouls, though. Some nice rebounding from her. Shanice Davis came up big in the third quarter, including a sweet finish on a steal from Tamera William. Brooke Salas looked awkward, but when NMSU needed a big basket, they got it from her. She hit the basket to end the first half that kept the momentum going for the Aggies, and she had some key plays down the stretch as well. I like her spirit.
Brianna Freeman made a lot of good defensive plays- she had two beautiful blocks, one on Lawler and one on Turner, and a couple of steals. I like her activity on the floor and in the paint. Tamera William was everywhere, seemingly at the same time. She covered a lot of ground in a hurry. Sometimes she was putting a little too much oomph into her shots and not taking the extra quarter second to get a better shot.
When the press worked, it worked. When it didn't work, they weren't able to react as well. They relied on that and on their offense.
This wasn't a very good game, but at least it was a more interesting one than the title fight that was to follow. Not to mention that the Islanders have really boss gear, including their letter jackets.
Wednesday, December 30, 2015
December 30th, 2015: Texas A&M-Corpus Christi at New Mexico State (Fordham Holiday Classic)
Sunday, December 9, 2012
December 9th, 2012: Louisiana Tech at Rutgers
Just the Facts, Ma'am: Monique Oliver's 14 points led the way for Rutgers, which shot 61.5% from the field in taking down Louisiana Tech 73-46. The Lady Techsters only shot 25% from the field, and were led by the 16 points and nine rebounds of Brittany Lewis.
For diving, awkward moments, a mass of Cagers, Bill Laimbeer blocking your view, and an angry Spoon, join your intrepid and snarled blogger after the jump.
Ah, the Maggie Dixon Classic. This is a good tradition, and I’m happy to be part of it.
Any oddities during the next week or so may be blamed on the computer I’m using while my baby is in the shop- this is my mom’s eeePC, and it’s ridiculously tiny. Very portable, with a battery life that would make the Energizer Bunny blush, but with all the speed of Kara Braxton running full court. It has its uses, though. I think I can fit it in my clipboard!
It was pleasant and relaxed coming in, and it was nice seeing all the usual suspects again.
Kym Hampton’s voice is going. It’s getting painful. Can we please kiss and make up with Tari Phillips already?
Sue Wicks was also at the game, and it’s very wrong of me to notice that she still fills out a pair of blue jeans quite well, despite being forty-mumble. That’s got to be an awkward situation, stuck between your alma mater and a dear friend, and MSG didn’t help by putting her on the spot on camera.
It’s 36-22 at the half in favor of Rutgers, and Rutgers is shooting really well. It’s terrifying and somewhat abnormal. I’m surprised Stringer hasn’t let her team hear it for showing such offensive potency. Unfortunately, Louisiana Tech’s most noticeable skill has been flopping with a prowess that would make Mery Andrade blush and DeMya Walker give approval. C’mon, guys. You’re better than this. Right? The whistles have also been pretty wild.
I was very disappointed in Louisiana Tech. I would have expected them to be more in Spoon’s mold, but about the only thing they have in common with her as a player is intense stubbornness and a distinct lack of shooting ability. I don’t know if she’s not getting the recruits, or if she’s just not getting through to these kids, but something’s not right here.
There was a point where I thought Courtney Hayes was a dead woman. She attempted badly to defend a three-pointer, where defense was defined as standing several feet away from the shooter and bouncing once like she was on a pogo stick. The shot went in. Hayes brought the ball up. Spoon called timeout, slapped the ball out of Hayes’s hands, and started ripping her several new orifices. Tavasha Anderson was the first player in off the bench, if my scribbled math is correct, but other than one good defensive stand against Monique Oliver, I don’t remember what she did. Kelia Shelton came off the bench to drive the lane, and she did a good job of exploiting RU’s foul issues to get to the line- all but three of her points were from the line. Jelena Vucinic came into the game late and proceeded to prove why she didn’t come into the game until late- she was extremely wild on her drives, and she did look lie she was trying to Force Choke one of the Rutgers players. Savanna Langston was the last Lady Techster in, and she seemed obsessed with shooting the elbow jumper. Seriously, hon, you’re 6-2, that doesn’t have to be your only shot.
Whitney Frazier’s shot was badly off in the first half, and even after she finally got one to fall early in the second half, she was still fairly wild, and I think she lost confidence in her shot by the end of the game. Lulu Perry brought it on defense- she’s mighty quick. Got caught up in a couple of quick fouls in the second half, though. Janay Borum kept going for long shots, out by the NBA line. She hit some closer, especially in the second half. Jasmine Bryant was unremarkable. We were very impressed with Brittany Lewis, who hit the boards on both ends of the floor and had one resounding block. She did a little bit of everything. I think my favorite was the offensive rebound and putback that bounced hiiiiiigh off the rim, then fell softly and sweetly through.
Seriously, though, La Tech. Y U NO BETTER?
Everyone played for Rutgers, I think. No, seriously, everyone, including Brittany Lapidus, who I refuse to believe is a senior. I would have issues believing you if you told me she was a senior in high school. Anyone and everyone affiliated with Rutgers in the building, and possibly a few other people in a few other places, was rooting for her to hit one of the shots she took, and it was clear that everyone wanted her to score when one of the posts (Butts, I think) gave up an easy shot in the lane to flip it over her shoulder to Lapidus. Shakena Richardson has an incredible knack for the flashy play, whether it was a dramatic steal off the inbounds or a flip over her shoulder to go in the basket. Unfortunately for her, she wasn’t able to finish either of the and-1s. I’d say she’s adorable, but I think she’d hurt me. Ariel Butts showed nice moves in the lane, but committed the sorts of fouls one finds in freshman posts. Very popular with her teammates, though; they were screaming and cheering whenever she scored. Rachel Hollivay looked good, but was prone to defensive lapses and careless mistakes. I can see why she was such a highly rated recruit. Chelsey Lee was first off the bench and came on strong in the second half. She and the other posts really did a good job of finding each other. Kahleach Copper played a bit in the second half and had one block that must have impressed me at the time. Precious Person played well, but to be honest and horribly wrong, I was too distracted by her name to take much note of her play. Surname as a noun/given name as an adjective is a very distracting combination. I’m sorry. She really does look like a good player, but I’m going to have to do a lot of growing up to take her seriously.
Look, I told you everyone played for Rutgers, so the bench paragraph is going to be long.
Christa Evans started the game, and did a lot of scrappy work underneath, setting screens to get her teammates free. Near as I could tell, that was her job. Monique Oliver took a little bit to get started, but when they gave her the ball, stuff pretty much got done. She’s a load down there. She’s a little scary. Betnijah Laney kept trying to get long shots, and I don’t know if that’s her forte or not. I don’t think she’s as comfortable in the Stringer system as she thought she would be. But I could be wrong. That happens to me a lot. Erica Wheeler got into foul trouble early in the first half, and never really let the refs get out of her head. I don’t know why Syessence Davis got the start, but I don’t remember anything major that she did. I guess she did that sneaky point guard thing where she dished out assists without me noticing.
Late in the second half, Rutgers showed flashes of why I used to like them- the defense created offense, and offense that was crisp in its passing. Richardson had a steal that led to a rapid-fire four-pass sequence ending in a lay-up.
I think the officials got bored with Louisiana Tech's flopping, because the calls were not as favorable to them in the second half. It was a rough game by the end; the defensive styles of both teams lend themselves to rough play.
Sunday, December 18, 2011
December 18th, 2011: Louisiana Tech at Prairie View (Chartwell's Holiday Classic)
Just the Facts, Ma'am: Down by 14 with 6:26 to go in regulation, the Lady Techsters fired off a 21-5 run to force overtime and (eventually) pull out a triple-OT 89-83 win over Prairie View. Kiara Young and Jelena Vucinic each had 21 points for Louisiana Tech, while Kiara Etienne led Prairie View with 24.
For entropy, exhaustion, chanting, attempted murder, and telepathy, join your intrepid and worn out blogger after the jump.
So is the game over yet? With all due respect to Prairie View and Louisiana Tech, by the middle of the second overtime, I was approaching the game the way I usually approach baseball games- “please, for the love of God, let the team that's in the lead win so the game will end!” I'm pretty sure everyone around us thought we were insane, but we just wanted it to be over. Honestly, I found myself wishing that Cynthia Cooper was still at Prairie View so she and Spoon could settle it in a one-on-one duel after the second overtime.
With all due respect to the National Anthem, I'm not going to applaud a recording, especially not one that drags on forever. Pick one that doesn't go on forever.
I don't think I like Louisiana Tech's alternate road jerseys. They don't go with the rest of the color scheme. I understand that these alternate jerseys match the men's scheme, but come on. Spoon worked the all-black everything pretty well, though.
Change in the starting lineup from yesterday, which shuffled the bench around a bit. Kanedria Andrews became the first player off the bench, and she was not nearly as effective as she was yesterday. Courtney Hayes, she of the not-actually-existing on the roster, put in a first half bucket and was never seen again. Tavasha Anderson started to make her presence felt late in the game, once the rosters had thinned and she was needed. She threw her weight around, especially in the third overtime (which, I'm sorry, is a ridiculous phrase to end up typing).
I'm not sure whether Kiara Young was consistent, per se, but she was always in on plays, and her score line on my card is quite beautifully multi-colored. Jelena Vucinic, I humbly apologize for forgetting about you and your crazy spins yesterday. I'm sorry. I won't forget your outside shooting again. Please forgive me. Shantale Bramble-Donaldson played well in the second half, and when she fouled out in the first overtime, I thought Louisiana Tech was done for. Whitney Frazier got her shot going, and had a really nifty block in the first half. Jasmine Bendolph hit the shot to send the game into the first overtime, so I'm not thrilled with her.
I felt like I should have been rooting for Louisiana Tech, but somehow I wasn't. Strange, that.
Fouls, fouls, everywhere fouls for Prairie View. LaReahn Washington managed to foul out off the bench; her temper got a little bit the better of her. Asha Hampton-Finch played a lot off the bench, and her length was useful in getting to the basket. She had to do a better job of holding on to the ball, though.
Kiara Etienne didn't put on quite as much of a show as she did yesterday, but she didn't need to. She came up big in the overtime, but that was as much a function of three people fouling out as anything else. The coaching staff really worked on Jeanette Jackson all game; I thought that was an interesting point of emphasis. I like her willingness to penetrate, and her judgment will improve with time. Larissa Scott continued to set the screens that so intrigued me about her, plus was able to get into the paint and hit some lay-ups. I like her offensive rebounding, too. She's raw, but she's a freshman; it happens. Michaela Burton and Latia Williams shared the same problem- an inability, or an unwillingness, to handle the ball. At one point, Coach Wilson yelled, “Just keep dribbling, Michaela, you're a guard!” This is a very young, very raw, team- no seniors and only two juniors of consequence, so they're going to be more dangerous next year than this.
The officiating was administratively messed up. With nine seconds left, the officials had to take several minutes to settle up the foul count. Turns out they'd mis-allocated a Prairie View foul to Louisiana Tech. Because both books were wrong, no free throws for Louisiana Tech. The foul was eventually retconned out of existence (for the record, it was Larissa Scott over the back- I had it on my chart, which is why I chart fouls and use different colors for each period, which becomes a lot harder at the third overtime, darnit).
By the second overtime, I was sure that Kim Barnes Arico was going to ninja someone with one of her stiletto heels if they tied the game again. It was hysterical. We may have been loopy by then.
Prairie View's contingent got a lot louder today than they were yesterday.
Classy move by Spoon not to have Louisiana Tech huddle up directly at center court.
It might be a long season in Ruston. They looked more like a Teresa Weatherspoon team today, feeding on their opponent's weaknesses and flashing better ball movement, but Fresno State would eat this team alive.
Saturday, December 17, 2011
December 17th, 2011: Memphis at Louisiana Tech (Chartwell's Holiday Classic)
Just the Facts, Ma'am: The Memphis Tigers put the pedal to the metal and never looked back in an 86-67 win over the Lady Techsters of Louisiana Tech. Brittany Carter led all scorers with 24 points, while Jasmine Lee put in 23 for Memphis. Louisiana Tech got 16 points and 10 rebounds from Shantale Bramble-Donaldson.
For emptiness, awkwardness, team colors, and a ball of confusion, join your intrepid and sleepless blogger after the jump.
So then everyone left. The end.
I'm mostly kidding, but there's something painful about the neutral game in a hosted tournament. At least with the home team playing, you get the atmosphere of a game. But when the band packs up to go home and the cheerleaders put on real clothes and the bulk of the crowd leaves, things get quiet, and a little depressing. You can hear the referees communicating, the voices from the bench, everything.
Liberty fans, I am disappointed. You were enticed with the promise of Teresa Weatherspoon, and where were you? Shopping? You could shop tomorrow. Lucky you, the awkward choice doesn't have to be made.
We could have ended up with an awkward situation if both the family of Memphis guard Bilqis Abdul-Qaddir and the family of one of the Louisiana Tech assistants had stayed in our section. But the Memphis folks moved along behind the road bench, and we scared off the Louisiana Tech family. I'm okay with that. I like my space to yell at the refs.
There's something very 21st-century about hijab accompanied by a Memphis supporters' scarf.
I was more impressed with Memphis than I was expecting, but then, I've been skeptical of Memphis since around the time Tamika Whitmore gave up on being a consistent player. So sue me. I hold grudges sometimes. They play a lot taller than they are, and they're fast.
Lauren McGraw had a tendency to play a bit out of control- lots of fun flash, but a lot of moving faster than she was ready for. Danay Collier got a fair bit of playing time in her homecoming, but I can't recall much of what she did- I was surprised to find she had played that much, to be honest. Ann Jones came off the bench as sixth woman in the first half and showed a little touch, though the illegal screen she drew as one of her first moves was not exactly a promising portent. McFerrin only threw in most of her bench near the end of the game, so they weren't in a position to do anything exciting or interesting.
Jasmine Lee impressed me, though I can see the flaws in her game. Her stamina and conditioning could stand some improvement, but I like her instincts. She worked hard in the paint. Bilqis Abdul-Qaadir ran a nice offense- she's small, but she's effective, and fast. Brittany Carter's athleticism impressed me- she had a resounding block that we could hear on the other side of the court. Nicole Dickson displayed a little range, but also athleticism. I was most intrigued by senior guard Ramses Lonlack- she plays a lot taller than she is, and she has the footwork of a soccer player. Control wasn't great, but Memphis seems to like to play fast and frenetic.
Spoon, give Sophia back her 1999/2000 hair. Some things just aren't right.
Louisiana Tech went deep into their bench- everyone played at least five minutes, but I don't think Savanna Langston's five minutes were terribly impactful. Tavasha Anderson moves well for a big girl. Kanedria Andrews got into a lot of plays late in the game, but I think they were expecting her to do a lot more earlier in the game. Kiara Young brought speed, and offense, but not much else.
It's probably for the best that Courtney Hayes didn't do anything of note, because somehow she didn't make it onto the roster that St. John's printed up. So now I'm confused and don't know anything about her. Jasmine Bendolph showed a nice stroke, but I think she might be having back problems- she looked a little pained, and I thought I saw a heating pad come off her during one timeout when she was about to check in. Shantale Bramble-Donaldson did a good job establishing position down low, but Memphis was able to make her less of a factor in the second half. Whitney Jones can play- nothing spectacular, but a nice all around game from her.
Ah, the peril of double-headers when I can't bring the computer to the game. Things get vague, especially when people keep distracting me.
My husband/viewing partner/distraction pointed out that Louisiana Tech threw a lot of high passes, and wondered whether there's just that little height in the WAC. They were fast, and had great ball movement, but I'm not sure whether they are really her team yet. They made a lot of stupid mistakes and couldn't hit a lot of easy shots. I expected a lot better out of them, and maybe they were just off their game today. We'll see more tomorrow. Or today. Time travel tense trouble here.
The officiating bothered me- not necessarily because of the quality of the calls, but because it looked like they weren't sure who was the crew chief. Spence and Aliberti got into a debate early in the game.
Crowning Moment of Funny: Shantale Bramble-Donaldson grabs a rebound. Bilqis Abdul-Qaadir rips it out of her hands cleanly and promptly falls over on the endline. The whistle blows. Teresa Weatherspoon explodes, charging off the sideline to protest the call. The funny part? It was a travel on Memphis for Abdul-Qaadir rolling with the ball. Nothing says WTF like screaming bloody blue murder at a ref who's making a call in your favor... even as your team inbounds the ball.
Hello, Chris, you poor unfortunate bastard! Did you miss us? Because we miss you. I have no idea whether anything did go on at Taffner Field House; we had a long walk home to look forward to.
Tomorrow's matchups will be fun, and Lordie, do I wish Cynthia Cooper was still at Prairie View right about now.
Sunday, December 19, 2010
December 19th, 2010: Fresno State at Southern Miss (Chartwells Holiday Classic)
Just the Facts, Ma'am: 28 points from Jaleesa Ross and 21 from Rosie Moult led Fresno State over Southern Miss, 88-51. Rachel Vigers led Southern Miss with 18 points and 9 rebounds.
For line changes, accolades, three-point shooting, and random acts of St. John's fans, join your intrepid and ardent blogger after the jump.
Noon is too early for a basketball game to tip off. Of course, I'm biased, because I like to be there when the gates open, which means that I'm in my seat a little after eleven if it's a noon tip. And we left the house a little early, so we were at St. John's by 10:30, which gave us a chance to wish Fresno State good luck against Southern Miss. (Their coaching staff agreed that that game was rough. They also said we were the fans of the game, which I thought was a magnanimous gesture. So we decided to root for them.)
The place was deserted even at the first tip. Have I mentioned that noon is too early for basketball? Because St. John's wasn't in the first game, the cheerleaders and band and whatnot weren't in, so we got a recorded anthem and canned music. For noise, it was the two benches, the two of us, and a couple of band guys who came in early and joined us in cheering for Fresno State and against Southern Miss.
Adrian Wiggins was prepared for the Golden Eagles' physicality. Of course, he had more options than we did, but he was still willing to sub liberally, especially in the second half. Veronica Wilson set the tone by going toe to toe with Tanisha Washington and making it clear that if Washington wanted to play, she was going to find herself tangling with someone who used to practice against Carolyn Swords and Stefanie Murphy on a regular basis. She couldn't hit a bunny for love nor money, but she didn't need to. Emma Andrews showed a lot of nerve trying to guard Rachel Vigers, who has four inches and a lot of weight on her. Marnique Arnold showed no fear of anybody on her back-to-back and-ones. They got some decent minutes out of Bree Farley at guard. We got to see a few younger players, like Jeanna Furst, who put up a big block; Alex Furr, who showed impressive range from beyond the arc; and Blakely Goldberg, who played well inside. Wiggins kept his players fresh with wholesale subs in the second half- we're talking hockey style line changes.
Rosie Moult did a couple of things well. Her hands were active and her defense had bright spots. But the thing she did best was camp out on the wing and put up threes. She didn't make any of her own shots, but she didn't need to. Hayley Munro did a nice job of cleaning up on the offensive boards. Taylor Thompson's release continues to be funky, but her range is impressive, and her defensive intensity is unmatched. When a little bitty guard is defending big physical centers, and doing it well, that says a lot. Taja Edwards was in and out for Wilson a lot, and she wasn't much of a factor. Jaleesa Ross had the game that I thought she was going to have yesterday. Her shots were falling, her teammates were catching her passes, her hands were more active- all of that. I'm not sure I was thrilled with her taking threes late in the game with Washington on her- I thought for sure she was going to be targeted, and if I were Adrian Wiggins, that's a risk I wouldn't have wanted to take.
Fresno runs a couple of drills that I really like. One is a rapid change of direction drill, where the leader shouts out which way they're going and changes it on a dime, including diving forwards and backwards for loose balls. Another is a defensive drill, where the pass comes in low, and as the "offensive" player scoops it up, the "defensive" player is suddenly all up in her face, hands up and going "Ball, ball, ball, ball!" That one looks like a good way to show players how to put on pressure, and how to take it.
Southern Miss behaved themselves for the first half of the game, and then as the lead ballooned for Fresno, some of the misbehavior that reared its ugly head yesterday showed up today. Elbows came out a little more. Hips protruded. Players went flying for no good reason. Other such charming things. And over it all, the hoarse, high-pitched, heavily accented screech of the Southern Miss coach. Oh, it was glorious finally yelling "SHUT UP ALREADY!" at her near the end of the game.
She went a little deeper into her bench this time, but not as much as she could have. I really do think it would have made more sense to go deep into the bench on the second consecutive day of getting beat down like a redheaded stepchild, but no one pays me for this. Nia Bradford continued to overdo it, looking very much like a player who was looking for playing time by any means possible, and if that meant falling into line with what the coach wanted, then that was what she would do. Fresno did a good job of keeping Ewa Urbanowska from being much of a factor on the inside. Danielle Johnson continued to shoot and miss.
The diving by Washington and Geneshia Dunbar was hilarious. I'm sorry, but you're not getting any sympathy. Dunbar set a legal Screen of Death that people were screaming to be called a foul, but it was clean, it was legal, and if you're stupid enough to run into a screen after your teammate calls it out, you deserve to see stars. Brittany Johnson was mostly confusing, because she and Danielle Johnson subbed for each other. Washington continued to be overphysical, with the bonus of being able to mock her shooting. Rachel Vigers was a bit more aggressive on defense than she had been yesterday, and still very effective for her height in the paint. Jamierra Faulkner continues to impress me- she needed more shots this time, but I still like her style.
The referees had a better grip on this game than they did yesterday. I think they were aware of what happened yesterday, and what could have happened, and didn't want it to happen again. I only saw one or two Fresno players go off injured, and they were only small injuries.
Some of the St. John's players drifted in and out during the game, in various states of uniform and health. I think we scared the daylights out of Briana Brown when we were going full throttle for Fresno. We waved at a few of them, and at least on Twitter Jennifer waved back.
It was very cathartic to see Southern Miss get their comeuppance. I never said I was fair, or neutral, or anything like that.
Saturday, December 18, 2010
December 18th, 2010: Fresno State at UC-Santa Barbara (Chartwells Holiday Classic)
Just the Facts, Ma'am: 58.8% shooting by UC-Santa Barbara countered a 23-5 free throw differential in favor of Fresno State, and the Gauchos pulled out a 64-62 win. Emilie Johnson led all scorers with 21 points, while Sweets Underwood notched a double-double of 14 points and 11 rebounds. Hayley Munro's 16 points and seven rebounds led Fresno State.
For star power or lack thereof, shiny objects, swarming defense, potential Russians, and scouting, join your intrepid and intrigued blogger after the jump.
Californians, you'll have to pardon me if these notes are not as coherent and exhaustive as they are most of the time. Between the lateness of the hour and the insanity of our game against Southern Miss, I'm wiped.
I'm not lying or being polite when I say that this was the matchup I was most looking forward to in the Chartwells. I had heard a lot about UCSB, Lindsay Gottlieb, and Mekia Valentine; I had heard a lot about Fresno State, Adrian Wiggins, and Jaleesa Ross. I knew this was an even match of two good teams and programs with solid track records, teams I might never see again unless I traveled west.
And of course, when you know to watch a player, someone else steps up. Nicole Nesbit came off the bench like a bolt of lightning to energize a swarming, relentless Gauchos defense in the first half. She was flying on the fast break. Sweets Underwood stepped up with a pretty awesome block in the first half and some key baskets in the second, but she also made some fairly stupid mistakes. I don't even remember Melissa Zornig playing. I'm very sorry.
Mekia Valentine's foul trouble really hampered her in the first half, and it almost seemed like her teammates weren't sure what to do with a big girl in the middle. Either that, or Fresno State was very prepared for the repeated attempts at alley-oop passes that the Gauchos tried. I'd love to see her be more assertive, just not tomorrow. She did have some monster blocks, and as a presence in the middle defensively, she's formidable- but with her build and height, she could be more. Emilie Johnson put up the quietest points I ever saw; I remember filling out my scorecard and at one point going, "When did Johnson score 17?" She was just quietly and mercilessly effective. No plays that made me go "ooh!" or even "No!" There and competent. It sounds like a backhanded compliment, but it's not meant that way. There's nothing backhanded about it. Margaret Johnson spent so much time in foul trouble that she played less than the bench players. Angelei Aguirre played all right- not badly, not amazingly, but solidly. Kelsey Adrian occasionally appeared to be under the impression that she was playing hockey, judging from the physicality of some of her moves on defense. She was really going at it with a couple of the Aussies from Fresno State.
I'm not sure how enamored I was of Coach Gottlieb in the second half. Her team lost composure and got rattled by a defense very similar to the one they used in the first half, and her endgame was very sketchy. I understand the rationale behind trying to run clock with nine seconds left, a two-point lead, and the one-and-one coming up on the next Fresno foul. However, if you have a player open in the front court, it makes more sense to throw it to her and get the two-possession lead without having to worry about the free throws. You know why? Because Nesbit missed the front end of the one-and-one, and the only reason it worked out for Santa Barbara was because the refs screwed Fresno State of about a second, and their only shot was a halfcourt heave that had the distance but not quite the aim. If they'd set up Valentine the way the entire booster section was screaming for them to, they wouldn't have had to worry.
And yes, the Gauchos traveled exceedingly well. They brought two sections of people in blue and yellow. They brought signs, some streamers, and some little signs. One guy had a very cool supporter's scarf (you know, the ones they have in soccer). Of course, it was not as cool as my fiancé's St. John's scarf, but they can't help it.
Fresno State has a lot of Australians. It's sort of hilarious. Who knew California was so inviting to Aussies? And Adrian Wiggins's animation intrigues me. I like a man who's passionate about his job.
Taja Edwards got her time in the second half, and helped spearhead the comeback by the Bulldogs. Fresno State really didn't rely on their bench much, and didn't get much out of it (though they did need to make a sub for Ross early because of foul trouble). I had to look at the box score to remember that more than two reserves played, so again, there's little I can say about them. Sorry, Fresno fans.
I get the idea that a lot of Jaleesa Ross's plays are much cooler in her head than they turn out in the real world. She reminds me of Ticha Penicheiro in her drive and dish ways, especially with the flair she puts on them. Unfortunately, a lot of those times she reminded me of the young Ticha who would sheepishly say that she put too much mustard on the hot dog sometimes. With Taylor Thompson in the game, Ross was playing a strange sort of combo guard, with Thompson setting up the offense but Ross doing the dishing inside. Not sure if it really worked, because by the time Fresno started really learning to read her passes, so did Santa Barbara. For a freshman, I really like Thompson. She's spunky. Not afraid to get up in anyone's business or to take the big shot. Rosie Moult alternated moments of great plays and big shots with moments of sketchy ballhandling, stupid fouls, and an absolute fascination with staring at what Ross was going to do next with the basketball. Kayley Munro was willing to mix it up inside- she and Kelsey Adrian were going at it hammer and tongs all night. Marnique Arnold's shot wasn't falling in the first half, but in the second, she was able to get things going with some help from the swarming, intense defensive pressure of the Bulldogs' defense in the second half.
The scoreboard operator was a bit punchy by the time this game was into the second half- there were score irregularities at two different times in the half, and I was called upon to straighten out the score by some Gaucho family.
The refs got a bit tired near the end, too; guys, I'm pretty sure it's a foul when Mekia Valentine sits on someone, and when that someone is much smaller than she is, it's not a pretty sight. I mean, they had better control of that game than the other refs did, but that's small consolation.
You can see how Fresno State got into the tournament in this team; you can see the ghosts of Gauchos past in this team. It was all that I hoped it would be- but for different reasons.
We were rooting for Fresno State simply because they'd be a better matchup for our MASH unit, because I didn't really like the idea of facing Valentine with both of our starting posts injured. We were, however, sitting in one of the UCSB sections, because we had to move, because Southern Miss decided to colonize the section next to the band. I didn't trust myself when it was just the fans; when the players moved into that section, I was relieved we had moved, because otherwise the GNoD would be coming from the inside of a jail cell because I'd be arrested for assault and stupidity. You don't mess with my team and then go sit in a section that's traditionally home turf.
Sometime in the middle of the game, a couple of women wandered over to the section and we did double-takes. If not for the giant hoop earrings, the slightly higher voice, and the fact that I can't think of any reason she'd be chilling with UCSB fans/boosters/family, I'd have sworn on a stack of media guides that one of them was Becky Hammon. Dead ringer for her in body language, in looks, in build, and in style. So weird. Also, not fun. I sort of don't like her. But I didn't want to move again.
I admit to being easily distracted during this game, because I kept looking around to see where my team was, and if any of them were walking, and if Day had any notion of what planet she was on (no, seriously, when they're doing the finger test, it's a bad sign).
In conclusion: great game, could have been a little better, and I sort of want that Gaucho fan's scarf.
Friday, February 29, 2008
March 21st, 2005: NCAA tournament
travels among the pod people
Like hell are the Game Notes ever going back to Storrs.
Went to Storrs yesterday with my bf. Having done it, I would need to be paid handsomely to go back there, and even then only if it were a truly neutral game.
Temple-LA Tech- 66-61, Temple. The Lady Techsters got up big early, but couldn't hit lay-ups for love or money. Candace Dupree turned it up in the second half, and they took control late. Horrible refereeing, horrible game. It was almost more painful than Villanova and BC in the Big East Tourney. Dawn Staley looks quite, QUITE different with her hair down and styled. She got T'd up because of one of the MANY blown calls in that game. If Erica Taylor (formerly Smith-Taylor) isn't careful, she's going to end up playing the wrong role in a redux of LJ and LL in the 2000 Olympics- she's got hair to her waist, and it looks like extensions.
Rutgers-Hartford- 62-37, RU. *fist pump* When are UConn fans- oh, sorry, I must have meant Hartford fans who just "happened" to be wearing Husky colors- going to learn that booing someone like Cappie Pondexter pisses her off and makes her play better? I'm sorry that the Hawks got stuck in the middle of this stupid grudge match UConn and Rutgers have going on. They played hard, but they didn't have the speed to keep up with the Knights, and this with Matee Ajavon having a bad game.
UConn-Dartmouth- 95-47, UConn. Dartmouth came in like they knew they were just sent there to give UConn an opponent. They didn't play like they cared, and that's sad. The young'uns looked good for Connecticut. Turner was less of a focus of the offense than I remembered. UConn fans seem to be a bloodthirsty bunch; up 35 and they're screaming for the team to shoot when it's clear that they're under orders to pass as much as they can. It also struck me as tactless that a starter was shooting a 3 with under 6 minutes to go, or even that the starters were still in. Maybe I'm just embittered because some of the fans felt the need to scream "Rutgers has no class!" at me and my bf, or because someone asked me where my conference loyalty was when I applauded the men's team losing to NC State- someone who then turned around and cheered against a Big East representative.
(This is NOT meant as a rant against all UConn fans, just the ones who taunted us or shot us dirty looks for wearing our team's gear. Some of them were nice. One of them even gave us directions to a Chinese restaurant.)
Richmond-Florida State- Florida State whomped Richmond. We left before halftime.
Celebrity sightings: Manute Bol, folded over several chairs; the Diana in the stands, schmoozing with various and sundry; possibly Patty Coyle (definitely one of the Coyle sisters, but there are three of them who all look alike).